Police say they have searched the home of the Opposition Leader, Azruddin Mohamed , as they continue their investigations into of a man who was gunned down in the capital on March 21, 2021.
In a statement, the police said that acting on the legal advice they ‘executed a search warrant at a property at Friendship, East Bank Demerara. The warrant was granted by a Magistrate after consideration of the information presented’.
The police statement did not name Mohamed, but his sister in a post on social media said his home was being searched while he was assisting in the recovery of bodies of people who died when the ferry MV Barima capsized last Saturday night.
Police said that as investigations into the murder of Ricardo Fagundes, also known as ‘Paper Shorts’, continue, further legal advice was sought based on information received.
Fagundes was gunned down on March 21, 2021 soon after leaving a hotel in the capital.
In a statement Tuesday, the Office of the Leader of the Opposition said that a contingent of approximately 20 members of the Guyana Police Force executed a search warrant at Mohamed’s property in Friendship, East Bank Demerara.
‘The Leader of the Opposition has consistently maintained his innocence in this criminal fabrication and implication of him in this crime,’ the statement said, adding that over the past week, at least six individuals ‘who were detained, or their attorneys, have publicly stated that investigators sought to pressure them into falsely implicating the Leader of the Opposition in the murder of Ricardo Fagundes’.
The statement said that the persons have refused to make false statements and were thereafter detained for prolonged periods before being released without being charged.
‘These are extremely serious allegations that warrant independent investigation,’ the statement said, adding that prior to Monday’s search warrant, Mohamed was ‘not informed by the Guyana Police Force that this large-scale operation with a conspicuous display of police resources was underway.
‘Instead, Mohamed first became aware of it after receiving numerous telephone calls, messages and videos from concerned citizens, neighbours and passersby who witnessed police officers attempting to gain access to the property.
‘Even more disturbing was the manner in which the operation was conducted. Police officers arrived by Guyana Police Force river patrol, travelling up the Demerara River and entering the property through its wharf. The two officers seen in the publicly circulated live video wearing life jackets had arrived by boat.
‘At this tragic time when Guyana desperately needs every available marine resource dedicated to the search and recovery of victims of the MV Barima tragedy, police patrol boats were instead deployed to execute a search at a property belonging to the Leader of the Opposition,’ the statement added.
It said that ‘every building on the property was searched twice, once before the family’s arrival, without any representative of the property present, and a second time after the family arrived and observed the search’.
Police have questioned several people in recent days about Fagundes’ murder, prompting claims by Mohamed that the Irfaan Ali government was on a witch hunt in retaliation for his disclosures about President Irfaan Ali’s multi-acre farm on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway.
‘The Office has taken note that since the Leader of the Opposition began exposing matters of significant public interest including the acquisition of President Irfaan Ali’s more than 150-acre megafarm/luxury estate ranch estimated to be worth more than GUY$5.5 billion (One Guyana dollar=US$0.004cents), and demanding answers from the Government, there has been an escalating pattern of police actions involving former employees, business associates and other individuals associated with Mohamed.
‘Yesterday’s search of one of his properties, while he was assisting in one of the largest search and recovery operations in our nation’s history, has only deepened public concern that these actions form part of a broader campaign of intimidation and distraction.’
Mohamed and his father Nazar ‘Shell’ Mohamed are challenging their extradition to the United Statwes where they are wanted on money laundering, wire fraud and mail fraud charges linked to their gold trading businness.